Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-15
THE STATE SCHOOL BOOKS.
State Printer shoaff Relates Some of the
Onnnsifinn tn Them.

State Printer Shoaf Relates Some OF the
Opposition to Them.
No person who has examined the series
of school textbooks, issued from the State
Printing Office, will say that they are in
ferior in any respect to those issued by sny
publishing house in the Union. The paper
is of the best quality, the covers of the
most substantial character, the electrotyp-
ing of superior work, and geographically
none are better. No educator who has
given them critical examination will say
that they are not equal, in every respect, to
any other series that has been used in our
public schools. The school-book rings
tried to defeat the enactment of the law
that provided these books to the people of
California, and since their publication has
commenced. it is charged that the paid
emissaries of those powerful book con-
Germs have been at work throughout the
State seeking to bring them under con-
domination before they are introduced. The
State Printer called the attention of a
RECORD UNION reporter few days since
to some books that had been returned
from Oroville, or some northern town,
with a complaint that they were made
VI 1udlClldl, pOOll1 bOQl4N
A glance at those returned books gives
the whole thing away" They were the
most dilapidated lot of books that any per-
son ever looked upon. Some person had
evidently taken the books, one at time,
and pounded the corners upon an anvil or
some other equally hard instrument and
battered them to pieces. They had opened
them also in such way that the stitching
in the backs had been broken and the
leaves loosened.
do you know how they do that ?" said
State Printer Shoaff. IN show you.
Now here is new book. open it very
little you see. Now, | take the book in
both hands, press my thumbs on the in
side and fingers on the outside tightly, so
that the leaves cannot possibly move; then
l open the book so, and of course, some
thing has to give, and the book is ruined.
To a person who does not understand the
methods of these book agents-to the
uninitiated-this trick would not be de-
tected, and the book would be pronounced
worthless. A child will not open book
in that way neither would one of those
men one of their own manufacture. There
are copies of their books here; lust try it
on them and see for yourself"
The reporter did as directed, and was
convinced that the best book ever made
could be instantly ruined by this innocent
appearing trick.
Now" Mr.. Shoaff added, al want to
say that these books are better made, in
every way, than any school book ever put
upon this market, and when you hear any
one asserting that they are poorly bound,
you can put him or her down as being in
the interest of these private book concerns,
and you will be right in your inference
ninety nine times out of every hundred"
Speaking CT going to work on a further
issue of books already compiled, Mr..
Shoaff subsequently remarked 1.-THE
other day, when l was in the Governors
Office, he sent out and asked Superintend-
ept Hoitt to come in, and after his arrival
the Governor asked me if had in hand the
material to finish up number of the
books told him l had, and was ready
at any time to proceed with the work
whenever the Executive Committee (the
dered it. There is over twenty thousand
dollars on hand that can be used for
that purpose, and l think the books, which
we all know will soon be required, ought
to be printed, bound and ready for dis
tribution when needed"
Referring to the employees in the State
bindery, Mr.. Shoaff said 1t is true that
there are many girls in the bindery who
have never had any experience in the bust
ness, but they are used in folding and
and other work where skilled
labor is not required. All the work in the
bindery that requires skilled labor is per-
formed by competent workmen, and
defy any one to show me a poor job that
has ever been turned out of that office. We
use superior material, have unequaled
facilities, employ the best of skilled labor,
and allow no book to be turned out unless
it is tirst-class in every respect"